No Playstation, a photo from La Habana, West

Photographer's Note

I was very impressed with Cuba's will to excel in sports on the international level. The national sports program was one of the first to be implemented following Fidel's take over of the country. Fidel believed that his sports upbringing helped make him into the revolutionary.

The affect of the program is evident in everyday life, in every town, and city. Children and teens enjoy playing outside as often as children in the West watch television. This love for sport and exercise has propelled Cuba into almost every top 10 Olympic medal standing for the past decades.

Rather than sitting at home with eyes glued to a TV screen, they are running, jumping, batting, and catching. A fat child was a rare sight in Cuba. Too bad we don't promote youth activity this much in the West.

crhieatt, Blairfraser, KevRyan, nbj, nicol_g, BitterMoon, brandstaetter, xavis, kibele66, arturski, Roly heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

crhieatt (5347) 2008-04-10 14:02

Mark,
Excellent acticity shot with a really strong dynamic - 100th must have been just right.
As was everthing else, the light, the shade colour, all spot on to my eye.
A great shot, combined with a topical point in your note. Good combination.

Regards
Colin

Blairfraser (849) 2008-04-10 14:33

Hi Mark.

This is a really good picture! I feel you have captured it very well. The lighting is great and the colours are bold. I also think your note is really good. It reminds me of when I was in China. The children eat sweet potatos and corn as a snack instead of Mars bars and crisps like most do here!

Well done on your capture and thanks very much for sharing this!

Blair

tomescuc (3291) 2008-04-10 14:40

i like the dynamism of these kids and the light shadow interplay. Well taken.
cheers,
CT

rhino (302) 2008-04-10 15:12

Nice colours - subject matter - angle
well done refreshing and original

KevRyan (22956) 2008-04-10 15:17

Great shot Mark - timing and light are so well captured - the geometry is fantastic - I think this would be a shot HCB might be very pleased to have taken - the interplay of light and shade and movement is beautifully found.

I think one of my rare favourites this year here on TE.

best wishes Kev

yedirenk (11244) 2008-04-10 16:47

Hi Mark,
a great moment.very beautiful light and shadows.I like this dynamism.wonderful scene with Good combination.well done.TFS.

Cevdet

Xen (572) 2008-04-11 3:09

The world truly is a happier place without play station. This is a great 'action' shot and the colours are so crisp. The peeling wall in the background creates a beautiful contrast.

Very well done!

horatiuTT (4570) 2008-04-11 3:15

I don't know if the title suits very well with what it's in
the photo,but I like it quite very much.Incredible dynamism,
very interesting your low POV,I think that this was an inspiration,the key of the photo.I like also the light with
the boys from the middle in light and the other two in shadow and
to complete the beauty of the photo ...the walls,nice textures.
Super photo playstation or not. :D.
Horatiu

nbj (2097) 2008-04-11 5:26

excellent movement, colors, light, shadows...really good picture.

michiels (4170) 2008-04-11 11:18

hello Mark,

A fascinating shot ! it has it all, the special light and compo ... cuba is indeed fascinating, one can't help it to fall in love with it ...
greetings, inn

nicol_g (859) 2008-04-11 12:40

Great timing, Mark! Love the low point of view, the tilt, the light; just wonderful the background (wall) color.
The note - a real pleasure reading it, thanks.

Luko (14000) 2008-04-15 8:37

Wonderful, simply wonderful... only light, time and being there... and of course the judicious choice of the background settings. It's weird though we don't have any sense of depth, looks like the foreground kids are giants compared to the board.

Gotta be a favorite for me.

brandstaetter (15915) 2008-04-15 10:11

How true,...
motion and sharpness are no contradiction here.
good one, Chris

nicoz (1979) 2008-04-16 6:05

Hi Mark,
It's a cool photo (it even says it on the socks of the kid)! At first, when I saw the thumbnail, I though that the kid in the background was painted on the wall. I like how you created depth in this shot with these kids, something I often think about but seldom achieve. Your tilt is interesting to, althou nothing is "as it should be in real life" it's well balanced with the kids running and the horizontal lines.
A lot to learn from this photo!
Oh and beautiful light and color.
Nicolas

Asiulus (1184) 2008-04-17 6:56

Nice, joyful moment frozen for ever ;-)I like this scene, and the boy in the shadow + the one that was in the background really gave it another dimension.
Seems to be slightly tilted, but I don't mind it at all.
Best regards
Joanna

xavis (3180) 2008-04-18 8:46

Hola!
really nice this one, and powerfoul with this title. Really well done with the composition, the lights and colours.

Hasta la vista,

javier

fabio_ts (13696) 2008-04-23 8:11

Hey Mark, your Cuban serie leave me breathless!!! this is my favorite, fantastic action, sublime colors.

ciao,
Fabio.

faubry (35447) 2008-04-30 2:27

wonderful motion capture, i like this dynamic shot with satured colors; great image
francine

arturski (4465) 2008-05-16 23:16

Hi Mark!
Exquisite image, captured great moment and a very good title, good work!
Regards
Artur

Eridan (427) 2008-06-10 5:03